Plant for the continuous processing and packing of meat products

ABSTRACT

It comprises an injection station ( 10 ); a maceration station ( 20 ), including a massaging rotating drum ( 22 ) and several drawn quiescent tanks ( 24 ); and a packaging station ( 30 ). Such stations are linked by an accumulation and loading unit ( 40 ) to the drum ( 22 ) located between the said injection station ( 10 ) and the maceration station ( 20 ); a reloading unit ( 50 ) located between the station ( 20 ) and the unit ( 40 ); and a transferring unit ( 60 ) to a feeding hopper ( 62 ) of the said packaging station ( 30 ) including an automatic cleaning unit ( 70 ) for the tanks ( 24 ). A control center coordinates the operations steps of the stations and units for keeping a non-stop operation, providing a time for cleaning each station, unit or part thereof during such cycle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention refers in general to a plant for treating and packagingmeat product in a non-stop operation and more particularly to a plantcapable to receiving and conditions lots of meat products, carrying outa treatment comprising one or more massaging and macerating cycles,alternatively, to each of such lots of meat products and last deliveringsuch treated lots to a packaging station. The plant is controlled by acomputer control centre for coordinating the operating steps ofdifferent stations and units so that at any moment of the plant workingcycle at least one of the stations is operating, providing a time forcleaning each station, unit or part thereof during the said cycle,keeping the plant non-stop operation.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The application for an international patent PCT/ES 00/00061 of thisapplicant discloses a plant and a process for a non-stop treatment andpackaging of the meat product which sets the main lines of such kind ofplant depending on stages or steps of a specific process to beimplemented in a plant having a non-stop operation.

The process of the said application for a patent PCT/ES 00/00061essentially comprises the operations of injecting brine to meatproducts; macerating such injected meat product submitting it to one ormore massaging actions alternating with as many quiescent periods; andpackaging the treated meat products and characterized in that suchoperations are carried out in a plant controlled by a centralizedcontrol in a chained and automated way, alternatively on different lotsof meat products so that at any moment at least two of such lots of meatproducts are being simultaneously submitted to one of such operations,times for cleaning the different units and stations of the plant havingbeing provided while other units or stations are operating keeping theplant non-stop operation.

To implement such method, the plant of the application for a patentPCT/ES 00/00061 comprises a station for brine injection to the meatproducts to be treated, a maceration station for the injected meatproducts including at least a rotating drum for massaging the injectedmeat product and a plurality of tanks for the massaged meat productssettling connected to drawing means to make them move forwards step bystep along a closed path around such rotating drum; and a packagingstation for the treated meat product. Such stations are coupled to eachother for a non-stop operation, linked by a unit for accumulating andloading the injected meat product in the rotating drum, located betweenthe outlet of such injection station and the inlet of the saidmaceration station, the said accumulating and loading unit comprises atleast a first and a second hoppers; a distributing device fordistributing the meat product coming from the injection stationalternatively to the said first and second hoppers; a reloading unitlocated between the said maceration station and the said accumulatingand loading unit comprising means for newly transferring themassaged-settled meat product coming from the said quiescent tanks tothe said second hopper to be reloaded in the said rotating drum; and aunit for transferring the treated meat product to a feeding hopper (62)of the said packaging station. The plant in addition includes a unit forcleaning the quiescent tanks located at a point of the path after thesaid unit for transferring the meat product to the packaging station.The plant is controlled by the said computer control centre, whichcoordinates the steps of such stations and units operation so that atany moment of a plant working cycle at least one of such stations isoperating, a time being provided for cleaning each station, unit or partthereof during the said cycle, keeping the plant non-stop operation.

In the said plant, the injected meat product is accumulated by lotsalternatively in such first and second hoppers of the accumulating andloading unit. The accumulated lot in one of the hoppers is loaded in therotating drum and submitted to a massaging operation in it while theother hopper is being loaded with another lot of meat products. The lotmassaged within the drum is transferred thereafter to one or several ofsuch quiescent tanks which rotate around the drum. The drum, once it hasbeen emptied can be loaded with a new lot of meat product coming fromone of the hoppers while the massaged lot sustains a period at rest inrelated tanks. Preferably, the plant includes a reloading unit withmeans for transferring a lot of settled meat product from its relatedquiescent tanks to the said first and second hoppers, and from it newlyin the rotating drum for sustaining a new massaging and settling cycle,and so on. The macerated meat product, at the end of the programmedmassaging and settling cycled, is transferred by means of the saidtransfer unit to the hopper feeding the packaging station while new lotsare sustaining prior operations. Thus, the plant has a non-stopoperation and it is taken profit of the times when some of the stations,units or parts thereof are idle to hand or automatically wash them.

SHORT EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to provide a plant for non-stop treatingand packaging meat product of the above disclosed kind whichincorporates several additional elements and concrete technicalembodiments which go beyond those disclosed in the state of the art.

Thus, the plant of this invention basically comprises the injecting,macerating and packaging stations coupled to each other by means ofaccumulating and loading, transferring and feeding and reloading units,plus the additional automatic cleaning unit for the quiescent tanks. Thecomposition of the stations and units as well as their operating processare analogous to those disclosed in the said application for a patentPCT/ES 00/00061.

However, at the plant inlet of this invention, there is arranged aninlet hopper for accumulating lots of meat product to be treated. Suchhopper includes first weight detecting means for weighing such lots ofmeat product and means for transferring such already weighed lots to theinjecting machine located in the said injection station. The saidcomputer control centre determines the amount of brine to be injected toeach lot depending on the product it is sought to be obtained. Then,each of the said first and second hoppers of the accumulating andloading unit have associated second weight detecting means and thecontrol centre controls a distributing device for distributing theinjected meat product coming from the injecting machine between thefirst and the second hoppers depending on a weight sought for each lotof meat products to be subsequently loaded in the said rotating drum,with the possibility to add brine to a given lot to complete theproportion of brine designed to it.

For transferring the meat product from the outlet of the said injectingmachine to a distributing device of the accumulating and loading unit aconveyor belt is provided which has associated a tenderizing machine tosuperficially cut, if it is required, the recently injected meat productbefore it is accumulated alternatively in the first and second hoppersand then loaded in the massaging drum. Such conveyor belt and the saidtenderizing machine associated to it are mounted on a moving supportingstructure, movable between a working and a cleaning position. Therelative sizes and positions between the different stations, units orparts thereof can vary depending on the space available for the plantand the productivity sought for the plant. The variations between thesaid relative positions can have an influence on the mechanicalembodiments chosen. Some examples of embodiments are described belowreferred to the drawing appended.

At the outlet of the first and second hoppers of the accumulating andloading unit are located respective flow valves, driven by fluid dynamiccylinders and selectively controlled to allow loading the content ofeither the first or second hopper of the rotating drum.

The rotating drum has a loading/unloading mouth at one of its endsfacing the first and second hopper of the accumulating and loadingstation and they are mounted on a tilting structure which allows thedrum rotation with different slopes of its longitudinal axis withrespect of the horizontal. Such loading/unloading mouth has availabletwo alternative tops, having an automatic drive, differentcharacteristics for carrying out different functions depending on thesteps of the working cycle in which they are located.

A first top or loading top is connected to a hose directing the meatproduct coming from the said transfer means to the accumulating andloading unit and mounted on a first moving arm driven by means of afluid dynamic cylinder to switch over the position of the said loadingtop between an idle position, withdrawn from the said loading/unloadingmouth and a working position coupled to the loading/unloading mouth. Thesaid hose is connected to a single outlet mouth of a collector to whichare arriving respective hoses which respectively starts from the saidflow valves of the first and second hoppers of the accumulating andloading stations. This first top is only located at its working positionby driving the said first moving arm when the drum is stopped and with apredetermined slope of its spin axis. With the first top at its workingposition, drum loading is carried out by the sucking effect due to adepression created within the drum by a vacuum pump through a fixed ductlocated at a blind axial end of the drum, opposed to theloading/unloading mouth. The first top in addition comprises a waterinlet and a detergent inlet to which are coupled respective hoses forconducting cold and/or water, and detergent to automatically clean theinside of the drum in the times provided for it.

A second top or massaging top is mounted on a special support fixed onthe free end of a second moving arm hinged with respect to the tiltingstructure of the drum and driven by a fluid dynamic cylinder to switchover the said second top between a idle position, withdrawn from thesaid loading/unloading mouth, and a working position coupled to theloading/unloading mouth. The said support of the massaging top includesmeans to allow the massaging top rotates around an shaft integral withit and to absorb small circular translations of the said shaft whenrotating with the drum, due to possible misalignments between the shaftof the top and the actual spin axis of the drum. Due to such specialshape of the support, this second top can be coupled to theloading/unloading mouth when the drum is stopped and it can remaincoupled when the drum is rotating during a massaging sub-cycle and canrotate with it.

The drum is emptied by lifting its blind end, opposed to theloading/unloading mouth by tilting the said tilting support so thatthrough the said open loading/unloading mouth and located at the lowestlevel, the content of the drum is unloaded in one or more quiescenttanks under a weight control of the content of each tank. Unloading iscomplete by rotating the drum, which facilitates a quick unloadingpreventing that the air penetrates within the meat product, and the tankweighing control is carried out with a weight sensor concealed in thefloor of the area where the quiescent tanks are stopped under the drumunloading/loading mouth. Typically, the capacity of the quiescent tanksis a fixed conventional capacity and the capacity of the drum is amultiple of that of the quiescent tanks. The number of quiescent tanksalternating their positions around the drum therefore depends on thecapacity of the drum and of the number of massaging/settling cycles towhich it is sought to submit the meat products.

The quiescent tanks comprise an upperly open deposit and are providedwith wheels at their lower part by means of which they can move on atrack arranged around the said rotating drum. Each quiescent tank isprovided in addition with fastening means for releasably be fastened ona related drawing truck guided along a rail fixed on the floor, suchrail defining a closed cycle path along such track around the rotatingdrum. On their hand, all such drawing trucks are linked to each other bymeans of hinged bars forming an endless flexible transmitting elementalong the said rail. Such flexible transmitting element is controlled sothat it goes forwards or comes backwards, according to the programme ofcontrol adopted, step by step drawing all the quiescent tanks at sametime, alternating periods of moving and periods of being stopped. Duringa period of being stopped, each quiescent tank occupies a stoppedposition. At each moving period, each quiescent tank moves forwards orbackwards from its former stopped position until it exactly occupies thestopped position the former quiescent tanks occupied before and it stopsat the said position during a new stop period and so on. Therefore, allthe tanks are taking turns at each stop position and the differentstations and units of the plant which are interacting with the quiescenttanks do it in some of such stop positions.

To carry out the forwards and backwards motion by steps of all thequiescent tanks, the device comprises driving, coupling and guidingmeans for successively coupling each of such drawing trucks when it islocated in a predetermined stop position, moving it, drawing the rest ofthe drawing trucks together with all the quiescent tanks coupled to themone step until the following drawing truck occupies such predeterminedstop position and then disconnect such drawing truck and newly comingbackwards until remaining arranged to newly go one step forward at theposition of predetermined stop. Such driving, coupling and guiding meanscomprise several fluid dynamic cylinders and will be described indetails with relation to the drawing appended.

In another point of the path a locking element is arrange fixed at theend of the other fluid dynamic cylinder rod which is in a fixed positionand is driven for coupling such locking element to the said anchoringelement of a drawing truck stopped in front of it, in order to lock theassembly of quiescent tanks during the periods in which they arestopped.

As it has been said, fastening each quiescent tank to its correspondingdrawing truck is releasable and more concretely it is releasable bylifting the truck with respect to the drawing truck. For this, eachdrawing truck comprises an outwardly protruding platform with which apair of upright stubs are integral which are socketed in related holeslocated in a fixed plate horizontally protruding from a side of eachquiescent tank at a suitable height. At the stations or units of theplant which requires to temporarily withdraw each quiescent tank fromthe said path, means are provided for lifting one of such quiescenttanks sufficiently to disconnect such holes from such stubs and withdrawthe quiescent tanks from the path at the related stop position and thenbring the tank back to such stopped position and lower the tank fornewly coupling the stubs of the drawing truck in the holes of the tank.Obviously, the system would operate with identical effectiveness if thestubs would be downwards fixed in the tank and the holes pierced in thedrawing truck.

Concretely, to be emptied, the quiescent tanks require to be withdrawnfrom the circuit, lifted up to a convenient height and tippled forunloading their content and this is carried out in the said transferringand feeding and reloading units.

In these units, lifting-tippling apparatuses are arranged, eachcomprising a structure, having a suitable height, open by one of itsside faces leaning on the path, such structure incorporating anunloading ramp at the top end of another of its side faces. At the footof the structure there are means for lifting one of the said tanks, whenit is located in a stop position on the path, sufficiently fordisconnecting the upright stubs integral with their related drawingtruck, and transferring the said unhooked tank from the stop position tothe inside of the structure bottom, within which structure means arearranged for fastening and uprightly lifting the quiescent tank withinsuch structure and tippling it on the said unloading ramp at the top endof one face of the structure.

The said means for lifting, disconnecting and transferring suchquiescent tanks from the stop position in the path to the inside of thestructure bottom comprise rails horizontally extending inside thestructure bottom through the said open side face, and the said stopposition, so such rails cross the said track through which are movingthe tanks when they are pulled by their drawing trucks. The rails haveinterruptions to provide passing areas for the said wheels of thequiescent tanks. On such rails a displacing tank is moving driven by afluid dynamic cylinder between such stop position of the quiescent tankson the path and inside the structure. To fill the gap of the saidinterruptions of the rails, such displacing truck is provided with atleast three wheels on each side arranged for rolling on each of therails so that when one of the said wheels is located at one of the saidinterruptions, at least two other wheels are supported on the rail. Onsuch displacing truck is mounted an uprightly moving platform which isconnected to the ends of the rods of fluid dynamic cylinders uprightlyfastened on the displacing truck.

When the displacing truck is operating with the moving platform lowered,it is located under a filled tank located at the related stop positionof the path. Then the fluid dynamic cylinders are driven for lifting thesaid moving platform, which in turn lifts the quiescent tank located onit up to such sufficiently high to release from the holes of the tankthe stubs of the drawing truck and then the displacing truck movestoward the structure withdrawing the tank from the circuit. Obviously,such means are also capable of the opposite operation, that is to say,to move a quiescent tank when it has ben emptied, in a slightly liftedposition, from the said fastening means from the inside of the structurebase up to the path and lowering the quiescent tank for hooking it tothe related drawing truck.

When the displacing truck horizontally introduces the filled quiescenttank, recently disconnected from its path, in the structure bottom,frames provided at the top part of the quiescent tank are introduced inguides horizontally arranged on sides of a top part of the said tippler.When the tank completely penetrates in the structure bottom, it stopsagainst a side supporting wall which is extending downwards from thesaid top part of the tippler. Such tippler is linked to a lifting trucklocated inside the said structure by means of a substantially horizontalhinge. The said lifting truck is uprightly guided along the said face ofthe structure which is ended by the said unloading ramp and is moving upand down driven by a chain mechanism and fluid dynamic cylinder. Whenthe lifting truck arrives at the top of the structure, another drivingfluid dynamic cylinder causes the tippler, and therefore, the quiescenttank fastened to it, tippling about the said hinge to empty the contentsof the tank in related unloading ramp.

In the reloading unit, the position of the second hopper, in which theload of the tanks have to be transferred to the tanks, with respect tothe rotating drum requires that the tank tippling is carried outaccording to an hinge spin substantially perpendicular with respect tothe path of the tanks, therefore the said face of the structure ended bythe said unloading ramp and along which they are fastened on the drivingdevice of the lifting truck, is a face contiguous to such open face ofthe structure and parallel to the said rails on which the displacingtruck is moving. Such arrangement is also useful for the unit fortransferring to the packaging hopper in the cases in which a scarceavailability of space requires to place the said packaging hopper veryclose to the path.

On the contrary, in the cases that the availability of space allows toplace a outlet hopper spaced from the path of the tanks, tippling thequiescent tanks in the unit of transferring to the packaging hopper iscarried out according to a pin of the said hinge substantially parallelor tangent to the path. For this, the said side face of the structureended by the said unloading ramp and along which the lifting truck ismoving is a face facing said open face of the structure andperpendicular to the said rails.

The said packaging hopper of the unit transferring to the packaginghopper comprises a single outlet connected to a distributing device fromwhich are starting two or more hoses connected to as many otherpackaging machines, which have sucking means for sucking the treatedmeat product accumulated in the said hopper according to its rating.Therefore there is no valve at the outlet of the said valve. On thecontrary, at the top part of the said outlet hopper, means for detectingthe level are provided, such as optic sensors for controlling the levelof emptying it. The central control means controls the packagingmachines in order that they stop when the outlet hopper is empty.

Last, the said automatic cleaning unit of the empty quiescent tankscomprises an automatic cleaning cabinet arranged adjacent to a stopposition on the track of the path in order that the quiescent tanksmove. A pivoting arm hinged at the bottom of the said cabinet has alifting end with a bottom frame and a side supporting wall close to thesaid bottom frame, which can be concealed at the stop position of thesaid track. Such pivoting arm is capable of rotating with respect to itshinge, driven by a fluid dynamic cylinder for taking a quiescent tankstopped on the said bottom frame and lifting it, unhooking it from itsrelated drawing truck, performing a circular path until introducing itlaying on the said side supporting wall inside the automatic cleaningcabinet, where it is cleaned by automatic means. The, the pivoting armis newly lowered and the quiescent tank is returned, clean, to the path,being newly hooked to the related drawing truck. Despite the saidcircular path, taking the stubs of the drawing trucks in and out theholes of the tank is carried out without problems thanks to the greatturning radius provided by the great length of the said arm.

SHORT EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

An example of preferred embodiment is described thereafter according tothis invention which is provided only for illustrating and not limiting,the description of which includes references to the drawings attached,in which:

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a plant according to this invention in whichall the stations and units are in straight line and in which themaceration station comprises twelve quiescent tanks;

FIG. 1B is a plan view of another plant according to this invention inwhich all its stations and units are forming an angle for best fittingthe space available and where the maceration station comprises eighteenquiescent tanks;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation part view of the plant of FIG. 1B showing theinjection station, a part of the maceration station and the accumulatingand loading unit linking them;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged part plan view of the injection station and thefirst and second hoppers of the accumulating and loading units, where isshown in solid lines the carrier of meat product pieces coming from theinjection machine at its working position and in dash lines, at itscleaning position;

FIG. 4 is a part plan view showing the set of first and second tops ofthe loading/unloading mouth of the rotating drum, that is to say, theloading top and the massaging top;

FIG. 5 is a sectional part side elevation view, showing the set of thefirst top or loading top;

FIG. 6 is a sectional part plan view showing the set of the second topor massaging top with an enlarged detail of the fastening and guidingdevice of the said top shaft;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the enlarged detail of the fastening device ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a part plan view showing a portion of the guide whichconstitutes the path of the quiescent tanks around the rotating drum,including the drawing system of the quiescent tanks;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an enlarged detail showing a drawing truck ofthe drawing system of FIG. 8 and its link to such guide;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional profile view of the drawing truck of FIG. 9and its link to a quiescent tank;

FIG. 11 is a part side elevation view, including an enlarged detail ofthe lifting and tippling apparatus of the unit transferring to thepackaging hopper of FIG. 1B, such apparatus is tippled at the front partwhere dash lines show different positions taken by a quiescent tank fromits stop position in the path to the tippled position on the top of thestructure:

FIG. 12 is a view in perspective illustrating the tanks fastening meansof the lifting and tippling apparatus of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a part plan view of the lifting and tipping apparatus of thereloading unit of FIG. 1B, which is side tipplable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXAMPLE OF EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIGS. 1A and 1B, they show a plan view of the plantsfor treating and packaging meat product in a non-stop operationaccording to this invention. Both plants essentially comprise a brineinjection station 10 for the meat product to be treated; a macerationstation 20 for the injected meat product; and a packaging station 30 forthe treated meat product, such stations 10, 20, 30 being coupled to eachother for working in a non-stop operation, linked by an accumulating andloading unit 40, located between the outlet of the said injectionstation 10 and the inlet of the said maceration station 20; a reloadingstation 50 located between such maceration station 20 and suchaccumulation and loading unit 40; and a transferring unit 60 for treatedmeat product from the maceration station 20 to a hopper 62 for feedingsuch packaging station 30.

The injection station 10 includes an injection machine 14 for injectingbrine to the meat product pieces. The maceration station 20 includes arotating drum 22, for massaging the injected meat product, and aplurality of quiescent tanks 24 for the massaged meat product connectedto drawing means 101, 102 (FIG. 8) to make them move forwards orbackwards, step by step along a closed path 26 around such rotating drum22. The packaging station 30 includes two dosing-stuffing machines 35connected to respective packaging lines which can include packagingmachines 34 of same kind, such as in FIG. 1B or packaging machines 32,24 of different kinds, such as FIG. 1A, according to the kind of packageto be used.

On its hand, the accumulating and loading unit 40 shown with fulldetails in FIG. 3 comprises at least a first and a second hoppers 42,44, a distributing device 46 for distributing the meat product comingfrom the injection station 10 alternatively to the said first and secondhoppers 42, 44, and means for transferring 42 a, 44 a, 21, 25 forloading the meat product accumulated in the hoppers 42, 44 to therotating drum 22. The reloading unit 50 (FIG. 13) comprises means fornewly transferring the massaged-settled meat product coming from thesaid quiescent tanks 24 to such second hopper 44 to be reloaded in suchrotating drum 22 and to proceed to new massages if the process requiresit so. Last, the transferring unit 60 (FIG. 11) comprises means fortransferring the massage-settled meat product coming from the saidquiescent tanks 24 to an outlet hopper 62 which feeds the packagingstation 30.

The plants of FIGS. 1A and 1B in addition include a unit 70 for cleaningthe quiescent tanks 24 at a point of the path 26 after the transferringunit 60 to the feeding hopper 62. The plant has available at least acomputer control centre (not shown) for coordinating the operating stepsof the said stations and units so that at any moment of a working cycleof the plant at least one of the stations is operating, a time beingprovided for cleaning each station, unit or part thereof during suchcycle, keeping the non-stop operation of the plant.

In the plant of FIG. 1A, it can be seen that stations 10, 20, 30 andunits 40, 50, 60 are arranged in line so that the meat product pieces tobe treated come in by one end, concretely by the injection station 10and come out as a treated and packaged meat product by the other end,that is to say, by the packaging station 30, carrying out the whole ofthe non-stop operation according to the process disclosed by the saidapplication for an international patent PCT/ES 00/00061. The plant ofFIG. 1B shows its stations 10, 20, 30 and units 40, 50, 60 forming anangle for a best fitting to an available limited space, which is not anhindrance for the non-stop operation of the plant in a way fullyanalogous to that of the FIG. 1A. Obviously, other variations arepossible as for the arrangement of the elements without affecting theplant operation.

It will be also noted that the plant of the example of embodiment ofFIG. 1B has a higher rating than the plant of the example of embodimentof FIG. 1A. This difference is specially evidenced by the fact that themaceration station 20 of the plant of FIG. 1B comprises a higher numberof quiescent tanks 24, eighteen in total, than the maceration station ofFIG. 1A, where there are only twelve. The rating of the plant is ratablyto the number of quiescent tanks and their rating, as well as the ratingof the remaining elements of the line. The sense in which such quiescenttanks 24 move around the rotating drum 22 is also different, indicatedby means of arrows in FIGS. 1A and 1B. This affects, for example, thepositions of the reloading units 50 with respect to the accumulating andloading units 40 or the cleaning units 70 with respect to thetransferring and feeding units 60, which are in opposite sides in bothplants. It has to be borne in mind, anyways, that the move of thequiescent tanks 24 can be backwards for reaching the point wished, ifthe distance is shorter. On the other hand, the plants of FIGS. 1A and1B are essentially the same and following detailed description of theirelements will be basically with reference to FIG. 1B and following thesame travel as that of the meat product pieces through the plant.

First, and as it is also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the injection plant 10comprises an inlet hopper 12 for accumulating lots of meat product to betreated. Such inlet hopper 12 is provided with first means for detectingthe weight of the meat product of such lots and means, such as anautomatic gate 13 for feeding the meat product of such lots, after theyhave being weighed, to an injection machine 14 of the said injectionstation 10, which is associated to a related brine filter 17 forrecovering the excess of injection. The said computer control centreincludes means for determining the amount of brine to be injected toeach lot depending on its weight detected.

FIG. 2 shows the inlet hopper 12 installed at a top floor and with thegate 13 directly arranged on the inlet of the injection machine 14.However, the hopper 12 could be at same floor as the rest of the plantand the means for loading the meat product to the injection machine 14could be a conveyor, lifting mechanism or the like.

A conveyor belt 11 serves for transferring the meat product from theoutlet of the said injection machine 14 to the said distributing device46 of the accumulating and loading unit 40. A tenderizing machine 15 isassociated to the said conveyor belt 11, which allows to superficiallycut, if it is required, the injected meat product before they areaccumulated in the first and second hoppers 42, 44 and then loaded inthe rotating drum (22). The conveyor belt 11 together with the saidtenderizing machine 15, is mounted on a moving truck 16, which can bemoved between a working and a cleaning position. Such moving truck 16bearing the conveyor belt 11 comprises, at one lower end, feet 36provided with wheels and, at the other top end, a sliding support 18which can be moved retained on and guided by at least one guide 19horizontally fixed on a supporting structure 45 of such first an secondhoppers 42, 44. Such feet 36 provided with wheels and the slidingsupport 18 facilitate the said cross displacement of the conveyor belt11 along the guide 19, which has a first end corresponding to theworking position and a second end 19 a, corresponding to the cleaningposition. Such second end 19 a of the guide sidewards protrudes beyondthe said supporting structure 45. In FIG. 3, a track is indicated withthe numeral 16 a through which are rolling such wheels (not shown) ofthe lower end of the moving truck 16 of the conveyor belt 11.

The tenderizing machine 15 is fastened on the moving truck 16 so that asecond end 11 b of the conveyor belt 11, at a higher level thereof islocated on the inlet of the said tenderizing machine 15. When theconveyor belt 11 is located at such working position, a first end 11 athereof remains located under the inlet of the injection machine 14while the outlet of the tenderizing machine 15 remains located on thedistributing device 46. On the contrary, when the conveyor belt 11 is atthe said cleaning position, shown in dash lines in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3,as well the conveyor belt 11 itself as the injection machine 14 are faraway from other components and structures and are completely accessibleto proceed to clean them. The displacements between such working andcleaning positions are carried out by means of hand drawing the movingtruck 16 along the guide 19 and track 16 a, although it would also bepossible to have mechanized actuating means available, for example, inthe form of a pinion and rack device driven by an electric motor.

Each of the said first and second hoppers 42, 44 of the accumulating andloading unit 40 has associated second weight detecting means whichrelease a signal to the said computer control centre referring to theamount of meat product accumulated in each hopper 42, 44. The controlcentre controls the distributing device 46 for distributing the meatproduct between the first and second hoppers 42, 44 depending on aweight sought for each lot of injected meat product to be subsequentlyloaded in the said rotating drum 22. Thus, the amount of meat productconstituting each lot corresponds to the load rating of the rotatingdrum 24, such load being in turn a multiple of the rating of each of thequiescent tanks 24. In the examples of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the rating ofeach of the hoppers 42, 44 is equivalent to a full load of the rotatingdrum 22, which in turn corresponds to the load of the two quiescenttanks 24 in the case of FIG. 1A or three quiescent tanks 24, in the caseof FIG. 1B. This is the reason why the quiescent tanks 24 are located,in the examples of FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively, in a number which ismultiple of two and three around the drum 22 (twelve and eighteen,respectively). At the outlet of the first and the second hoppers 42, 44of the accumulating and loading unit 40, respective flow valves 42 a, 44a are arranged, driven by respective fluid dynamic cylinders 47, fromwhich flow valves 42 a, 44 a start respective hoses 49 a, 49 b whichjoins a collector which offers a single common outlet mouth 49 (FIG. 5).

Referring now specially to FIG. 4, the rotating drum 22 has theloading/unloading mouth 23 at one of its axial ends facing the first andsecond hoppers 42, 44 of the accumulating and loading station 40, andare mounted on a tilting structure 92 which allows drum 22 rotation withdifferent slopes of its longitudinal shaft with respect to thehorizontal. Such loading/unloading mouth 23 has available twoalternative tops 21, 28, both having different characteristics andautomatically driven for performing different functions depending on thesteps of the working cycle in which they are located. Such two topscomprise a first top or loading top 21 and a second top or massaging top28.

The said loading top 21, best shown in FIG. 5, is connected to a hose 25for conducting the meat product connected to the said common singleoutlet mouth of the accumulating and loading unit 40 and mounted on afirst moving arm 27 driven for switching over the said loading top 21between an idle position, withdrawn from the said loading/unloadingmouth 23 and shown with dash lines in FIG. 5 and such working positioncoupled to the loading/unloading mouth 23. The loading top 21 is placedin a working position only when the drum 22 is stopped and slightlyinclined backwards to proceed to loading it by sucking it because of adepression created within the drum 22 by an external vacuum pump (notshown) through a duct located at one end of the drum 22 opposite to theloading/unloading mouth 23. At the computer control centre means areprovided for selectively controlling such flow valves 42 a, 44 a (FIG.3) and the drive of such first moving arm 27 and vacuum pump for loadingthe contents of either the first or the second hopper 42, 44 in therotating drum 22.

The first top 21 includes a water inlet 84 and a detergent inlet 85(FIG. 4) connected to respective hoses (not shown in the figures) forconducting cold and/or hot water and detergent, supported on the saidfirst moving arm 27, through which an automatic cleaning is carried outwithin the drum 22 during such periods of the production cycle in whichthe drum is not operating.

The moving arm 27 of the first top 21 comprises (FIG. 5) a stiff barsstructure 90 which has an arcuate shape along which an internal space isdelimited, protected, through which is passing and supported the saidhose 25, such stiff bars structure 90 being hinged by a first end 90 a,distal from the said first loading top 21, to a supporting structure 45of such first and second hoppers 42, 44 and linked by a middle area 90 bto the rod of a fluid dynamic cylinder 91 the head of which is fixed onthe said supporting structure 45, the fluid dynamic cylinder 91 of whichdrives the said first arm 27 to carry out such switch over between thesaid working and idle positions of the first loading top 21. Fasteningthe loading top 21 on the arm 27 is carried out through a support 82provided with elastic means for providing a smooth coupling.

On its hand, such second top or massaging top 28, best shown in FIG. 6is mounted on a support 95 fixed on the free end of a second moving arm29 driven for switching over the said second top 28 between an idleposition, withdrawn from the said loading and/or unloading mouth 23 andshown with dash lines in FIG. 6, and a working position coupled to theloading/unloading mouth 23. Coupling the massaging top 28 to theloading/unloading mouth 23 is usually carried out when the drum 22 isstopped. However, the top 28 is still coupled to the drum 22 when thelater is rotating during a massaging subcycle. For this, the top 28comprises a shaft 86 integral with it fastened and guided by the support95 so that it allows its free rotation. The support 95 in additionincludes means for absorbing small circular translations sustained bythe said shaft 86 when it is rotating jointly with the drum 22. Thesesmall translations are due to possible misalignments between the centreof the loading/unloading mouth 23, with respect to which the shaft 86 ofthe top 28 is centred and the actual rotation of the drum 22.

This shaft 86, as it is best shown in enlarged details in FIG. 6 isintegral with the massaging top 28 by screws, externally protruding fromthe central area of the top 28 and when the massaging top 28 is in suchworking position, it remains substantially aligned with the drum 22 spinaxis. The shaft 86 is supported and guided on the support 95 by at leasta bearing 87 housed in a bearing-holder 88, which is mounted on elasticsuspension means 89 incorporated in a part 97 of the said support 95fixed on the second moving arm 29. Thus, when the massaging top 28rotates jointly with the drum 22, such shaft 86 can rotate and carry outthe said small circular translations with respect to such second arm 29against the strength of the said elastic means 89.

In the example of embodiment shown, such elastic means comprise aplurality of helical springs 89 radially arranged as a star as it can bebest be seen in FIG. 7 in housings of such part 97 of the support 95fixed at the free end of the second arm 29. The external ends of thehelical springs 89 are supported on bottoms having adjustable depth 96which take the form of hollow stoppers for such housings and theirexternal ends supported against cavities provided in such bearing-holder88. Each of such stoppers 96 is threaded in the internal wall of itscorresponding housing so that, when rotating each stopper 96, the depthof related bottom is varied and with it the compression and the strengthexerted by each spring 89.

For driving it, such second moving arm 29 comprises, at its end distalfrom the massaging top 28, a hinge 29 a with respect to the tiltablesupporting structure 92 of the rotating drum 22. A fluid dynamiccylinder 94 has its rod linked to a crank handle 93 integral with theshaft of the said hinge 29 a and a head linked to such tiltablestructure 92, the fluid dynamic cylinder 94 of which drives such secondarm 29 to switch over between such working and idle positions of thesecond massaging top 21. Detection means (not shown) are communicatedwith the computer control centre to indicate the working or idleposition of this second or massaging top 28.

On the whole of the perimeter of the loading/unloading mouth 23, anelastic joint is arranged which assures the tight closure as well of thefirst top 21 as that of the second top 28, which when they are at theirrespective working positions are kept pressed against such elastic jointbecause of the said depression created within the drum 22.

Unloading the meat product pieces of the drum 22, after completing amassaging subcycle to the quiescent tanks 24 is carried out openingfirst the massaging top 28, tilting the drum 22 by tilting itssupporting structure 92 (FIG. 2) and driving the drum rotation, whichfacilitates a quick unloading preventing that air penetrates in the meatproduct. By means of a weight sensing device 75, concealed in the floorof the stop area of the quiescent tanks located under theloading/unloading mouth 23 of the drum 24, a control of weight of themeat product poured to each tank is carried out.

The system for drawing the quiescent tanks 24 is described below withreference to FIG. 8 to 10. Around the rotating drum 22 is arranged atrack 103, for example in the form of a rendered cement pavement onwhich such quiescent tanks 24 can move which are provided for this withrelated wheels 100 having free rotation and orientation. Each quiescenttank 24 is in addition provided with fastening means for beingreleasably fixed on a related drawing truck 101 guided along a lane 102fixed at a given distance from the floor (adjustable) by means of feet122. Such lane 102 defines the said path 26, in closed circuit, of thequiescent tanks 24 around the drum 22 along such track 103. All the saiddrawing trucks 101 are linked to each other by means of hinged bars 105forming as a whole an endless flexible transmission element along suchlane 102. Driving, coupling and guiding means 106, 107, 108, 109,explained with more details below are arranged for successively couplingeach of the said drawing trucks 101 when they are located at a givenposition and move it, drawing the rest of the drawing trucks 101together with all the quiescent tanks 24, one step until the followingdrawing truck 101 occupies the said predetermined position forthereafter disconnecting the said drawing truck 101 and newly come backto the predetermined position and so on to make all the quiescent tanks24 move forwards and backwards step by step. The computer control centrecontrols such driving and coupling means 106, 108, 109 depending on thepreestablished program and the data received from the different sensorsthe plant incorporates.

The said lane 102, in the example of embodiment best shown in FIG. 8 to10, comprises a handrail having flat faces fixed on the floor, with thehigher size of its cross section in upright position and the drawingtruck 101 comprises supporting wheels 117 which rolls on the top face ofthe said handrail 102 and guiding wheels 118, 119, facing each other bypairs, with one wheel for each pair rolling on opposite sides of thehandrail 102, one of the wheels 119 of each pair being mounted on aneccentric shaft 120 to facilitate its mounting adjustment. Another pairof guiding wheels 123 are supported on the lower edge of the handrail102 for preventing that the truck 101 is lifted.

The driving, coupling and guiding means 106, 107, 108, 109 act on alength of the said path 26 on which the lane 102 defines a circumferencearc 102 a, angularly movable, starting on the said predeterminedposition and comprise (FIG. 8) an arm 106, angularly moving, hinged byone end with respect to an upright shaft 106 a located at the centre ofthe said circumference arc 102 a and guided by the opposite end 106 bwith respect to a curved guide 107 parallel to the circumference arc 102a. A first fluid dynamic cylinder 108, having a long run, is mountedwith its hinged head at a fixed point 108 a with respect to the floorand the end of its rod linked to the said opposite end 106 b of the arm106. A second fluid dynamic cylinder 109, having a short run, is fixedon the said opposite end 106 b of the arm 106 and a coupling element110, fixed at the end of its rod, can be connected/disconnected in acomplementary anchoring element 111 (FIG. 10) integral with each drawingtruck 101, because of the extension/retraction of the said rod of suchfluid dynamic cylinder 109. By matching the motions caused by the saidfirst and second fluid dynamic cylinders 108, 109, the whole of thedrawing trucks are moving one step, forwards or backwards on the saidpath 26, depending on the program selected or the requirements of eachmoment. All this set of driving, coupling and guiding means 106, 107,108, 109 can be duplicated at the other end of the path 26 if the plantrating requires a greater drawing strength.

In another point of the path 26, a locking element 116 is fixed to theend of the rod of another fluid dynamic cylinder 121, having a shortrun, which is in a fixed position and is driven for coupling the saidlocking element 116 with the said anchoring element 111 of a drawingtruck 101 stopped in front of it in order to lock the set of quiescenttanks 24 during the periods in which they are stopped. Driving thisthird fluid dynamic cylinder 121 is logically coordinated with drivingthe first and second fluid dynamic cylinders 108, 109 in order toprevent interferences. In the example of embodiment of FIG. 8, anchoringthe fluid dynamic cylinders 108, 109, 121 with respect to the floor iscarried out through a fixed bottom 92 a of the tiltable structure 92 ofthe drum 22.

The said fastening means for releasably fixing a quiescent tank 24 on acorresponding drawing truck 101 comprise (FIG. 10) a pair of uprightstubs 112 integral with platforms 113 protruding outwards each drawingtruck 101, such stubs being socketed in holes 114 located in plates 115horizontally protruding from a side of each quiescent tank 24 at asuitable height. It is obvious that by slightly lifting one of thequiescent tanks 24, it would immediately be unhooked from its relateddrawing truck 101. Thus, in predetermined stop positions of the path 26where it is necessary to temporarily withdraw the quiescent tanks 24from it and then newly placing them, means 55, 56, 59, 61 means (FIGS.11 and 13) have been provided capable to lift a related quiescent tank24 sufficiently for releasing such holes 114 from such stubs 112 andwithdraw them from the path 26 or by means of a reverse motion, newlyhook them on its related drawing truck 101.

Such interaction with the quiescent tanks 24 is carried out in thereloading unit 50 and the transferring unit 60 to the feeding hopper 62,as well as in the cleaning unit 70.

The said automatic cleaning unit 70 for the empty quiescent tanks 24 isof a conventional kind, therefore it has not been illustrated in detailsand comprises, for withdrawing the quiescent tanks 24 from the path 26 apivoting arm hinged on the bottom of the said unit which has a liftingend having a suitable frame, concealable at the related stop position ofthe said track 103. Such pivoting arm is capable of rotating withrespect to its hinge, driven by a fluid dynamic cylinder to take aquiescent tank 24 stopped on the said frame of the arm and lift it,unhooking it from its related drawing truck 101, making a circular pathuntil introducing it laying within an automatic cleaning cabinet 77,where it is cleaned by automatic means. Then the pivoting arm 76 isnewly lowered and the quiescent tank 24 is returned, already clean, tothe path 26, being newly hooked on related drawing truck 101. Despitethe said circular path, taking the stubs 112 of the drawing truck 101 inand out related holes 114 of the tank 24 is carried out without anyproblem thanks to the great radius of gyration provided by the greatlength of such arm 76.

For handling the quiescent tanks 24, the reloading 50 and transferringand feeding 60 units count with respective lifting-tippling apparatuses52, 64 which will be described thereafter with reference to FIG. 11 to13. Although both lifting-tippling apparatuses 52, 64 follows sameoperation principle, there exists some differences between them becausethe first (FIG. 13) carries out a side tippling of the quiescent tanks24 while the second (FIGS. 11 and 12) carries out a front tipplingthereof.

Essentially, each of such lifting-tippling apparatuses 52, 64 comprisesa structure 51, having a suitable height, open by one of its side facesleaning against the path 26. At the top end of another of its sidefaces, this structure 51 incorporates an unloading ramp 53. Eachlifting-tippling apparatus 52, 64 in addition comprises means 55, 56,59, 61 for lifting one of the said quiescent tanks 24 sufficiently forreleasing from holes 114 located in plates 115 horizontally protrudingfrom a side of the quiescent tank 24, upright stubs 112 integral withplatforms 113 associated to related drawing trucks 101 (FIG. 10) of thequiescent tanks 24 along the path 26 and transfer such quiescent tank24, unhooked, from the path 26 to inside the base of the structure 51and means for uprightly fastening and lifting the quiescent tank 24inside such structure and tippling it on the said unloading ramp 53 atthe top end of the structure 51.

The said means for lifting, unhooking and transferring such quiescenttanks 24 from the path 26 to inside the structure 51 bottom compriserails 54 horizontally extending from inside the structure 51 bottomthrough the said open side face until crossing such track 103 of thepath 26. The said rails 54 show interruptions at the passing areas ofthe wheels 100 of the quiescent tanks 24. A displacing truck 55 drivenby a fluid dynamic cylinder 56 having a long run for horizontally movingon the said rails 54 between a first position when the quiescent tanks24 are stopped on the path 26 and a second position within the structure51. The displacing truck 55 is provided with at least three wheels 58 ateach side arranged for rolling on the rails 54 so that when one of thesaid wheels 58 is one of the said interruptions of the rails 54, atleast two other wheels 58 are supported on such rails 54. Mounted onsuch displacing truck 55 there is an uprightly moving platform 59 whichis connected to the ends of the rods of fluid dynamic cylinders 61uprightly fixed to the displacing truck 55. By driving such fluiddynamic cylinders 61 the said moving platform 59 is lifted, jointly witha quiescent tank 24 located on it, until the said height sufficient forreleasing the stubs 112 from the holes 114. Means 55, 56, 59, 61 arealso capable of carrying the opposite operation, that is to say,transfer an emptied quiescent tank 24, in a slightly lifted position,from the fastening means inside the structure bottom 51 to the path 26and lower the quiescent tank 24 for hooking it to the related drawingtruck 101.

On the other hand, the said fastening and uprightly lifting and tipplingmeans of the quiescent tank 24 comprise a lifting truck 63 locatedinside the said structure 51 and uprightly guiding along rails 68 fixedon the said side face of the structure 51 ended by the said unloadingramp 53, such lifting truck 63 is moved up and down on the said guides68 driven by a chain mechanism 71 and fluid dynamic cylinder 73. Atippling member 65 for a quiescent tank 24 is linked to a top part ofthe said lifting truck 63 by means of an hinge 66 substantiallyhorizontal and linked by a point relatively far away the said hinge 66at the end of a rod of a fluid dynamic cylinder 67 the head of which islinked to a lower part of the lifting truck 63. When the lifting truck63 is at the top of the structure 51, driving such fluid dynamiccylinder 67 causes the quiescent tank 24 tippling such quiescent tankbeing fastened by the said tippling device 65 around the hinge 66 foremptying its contents on the unloading ramp 53.

The mentioned differences between the lifting/tippling apparatuses 52,64, respectively tippling by the side and the front, lays specially inthe fact that in the first case, illustrated in FIG. 13, the saidstructure face 51 ended by the said unloading ramp 53 and along whichthe rails 68 are fixed is a face contiguous to the said open face of thestructure 51 and parallel to the said rails 54, so that such hinge 66with respect of which tippling the quiescent tanks 24 is carried out issubstantially perpendicular to the path 26. Such characteristic isuseful namely for the reloading unit 50. due to the relative positionsof the second hopper 44 and the rotating drum 22. It also would beuseful for the transferring unit 60 to the feeding hopper 62 in thecases in which a scarce availability of space would require to place thehopper 62 very close to the path 26. In the second case, illustrated inFIG. 11, the said side face of the structure 51 ended by the saidunloading ramp 53 and along which guides 68 are fixed is a face facingthe said open face of the structure 51 and perpendicular to the saidrails 54, therefore the said hinge 66 with respect to which tippling thequiescent tanks 24 is carried out is substantially parallel or tangentto the path 26. Such arrangement is useful for the transferring unit 60to the feeding hopper 62 in the cases in which the availability of spaceallows to place such hopper 62 sufficiently apart from the path 26.

The said tippler 65 is also different in one and the other cases. FIG.12 illustrates a tippler 65 corresponding to the lifting/tipplingapparatus 64 tippling at the front. Such tippling apparatus 65 comprisesa top part 72 having guides 57 horizontally arranged at a suitableheight and adapted for receiving frames 69 (FIGS. 5 and 11) provided onthe top part of the quiescent tanks 24 when a quiescent tank 24 isintroduced within the structure 51 by the said displacing truck 55. Thetippler 65 also comprises a side supporting wall 74 which is extendingdownwards from the said top part 72 and cooperating with the said guides57 for supporting the quiescent tank 24 when it is tippled about thehinge 66. Typically, the guides 57 comprise good supporting surfaces atthe lower part and only for best bearing the quiescent tank 24 when itis tippled, small supports at the top part, for example, in the form ofa crossbar 78 at the front part and at least a stop 79 at the back partof the top 72. At the lower part of the side supporting wall 74 thereare stops 124 which are embedded in frames corresponding to the lowerpart of the quiescent tanks 24 contributing to locking them with respectto the tippler 65.

The tippler 65 corresponding the lifting/tippling apparatus 52, having aside tippling is shown in a plan view in FIG. 13 and comprises sameelements as the tippler of FIG. 12, except that the guides 57 areparallel to the side supporting wall 74 and to the spin axis 66.

The lifting and tippling apparatus 64 of FIG. 11 transfers the load fromthe quiescent tanks 24 to the said hopper 62 of the transferring unit 60to the feeding hopper 62, which comprises a single outlet 31 connectedto a distributing device from which are starting two or more hoses 33(shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B) connected to as many other dosing stuffinghoses 35 which has coupled a thermoforming 32 or a packaging machine 34,as required for the treated product. Each dosing stuffing hose 35 isprovided with sucking means for taking by sucking it treated meatproduct from such hopper 62. Detecting means (not shown), such asoptical detectors not shown control the filling/emptying level of suchhopper 62.

With such arrangement, the plant of this invention can automaticallyoperate in a non-stop operation under the control of the computercontrol centre, the operation steps of the said stations and units beingcoordinated so that at any moment of a working cycle, at least one ofthe stations is operating and there is a time provided for cleaning eachstation, unit or part thereof during such cycle.

1. Plant for treating and packaging meat product in a non-stop operationcomprising: a brine injection station (10) for the treatment of meatproducts; a maceration station (20) for the injected meat productsincluding at least a rotating massaging drum (22) for the injected meatproduct and a plurality of quiescent tanks (24) for the massaged meatproducts connected to drawing means for moving the tanks (24) forwardsstep-to-step along a closed path (26) around such rotating drum (22);and a packaging station (30) for the treated meat products such stationsbeing coupled to each other for a non-stop operation, linked by a unitfor accumulating and loading (40) the injected meat product in therotating drum (22), located between an outlet of such injection station(10) and an inlet of the said maceration station (20), comprising: atleast a first and a second hoppers (42, 44); a distributing device (46)for distributing the meat product coming from the injection station (10)alternatively to the said first and second hoppers (42, 44); a reloadingunit (50) located between the said maceration station (20) and the saidaccumulating and loading unit (40) comprising means for newlytransferring the massaged-settled meat product coming from the saidquiescent tanks (24) to the said second hopper (44) to be reloaded inthe said rotating drum (22); and a unit for transferring (60) thetreated meat product to a feeding hopper (62) of the said packagingstation (30), in addition the plant includes a unit for cleaning (70)the quiescent tanks (24) at a point of the path (26) after the unit fortransferring (60) and at least a computer control centre being providedfor coordinating the steps of such stations and units operation so thatat any moment of a plant working cycle at least one of such stations isoperating, a time being provided for cleaning each station, unit or partthereof during the said cycle, keeping the plant in non-stop operationcharacterized in that the plant further comprises an inlet hopper (12)for accumulating lots of meat products to be treated, the said inlethopper (12) being provided with first means for detecting the weight ofthe said lots and means (13) for feeding the meat products of eachweighed lots to an injection machine (14) of the said injection station(10), means being incorporated at the said computer control centre todetermine an amount of brine to be injected to each lot depending on theweight detected.
 2. Plant, according to the claim 1, including aconveyor belt (11) for transferring the meat product from the outlet ofthe said injection machine (14) to the distributing device (46) of theaccumulating and loading unit (40) and a tenderizing machine (15)associated to the said conveyor belt (11) to superficially cut theinjected meat product before it is accumulated in the first and secondhoppers (42, 44) and subsequently loaded in the rotating drum (22), thesaid conveyor belt (11) jointly with the said tenderizing machine (15)are mounted on a moving truck (16) displaceable between a workingposition and a cleaning position.
 3. Plant according to claim 2,characterized in that the said moving truck (16) comprises, at one end,feet (36) provided with wheels and, at the other end, a sliding support(18) which may be movably retained on and be guided by at least oneguide (19) horizontally fixed on a supporting structure (45) of the saidfirst and second hoppers (42, 44), the said guide (19) has a first endcorresponding to the working position and a second end (19 a) sidewardsprotruding beyond the said supporting structure (45) corresponding tothe cleaning position.
 4. Plant according to claim 3, characterized inthat, in the said working position, a first end (11 a) of the conveyorbelt (11) is located under the said outlet of the injection machine (14)and a second end (11 b) of the conveyor belt (11) is located on an inletof the said tenderizing machine (15), which is fixed to the moving truck(16) and an outlet from which it is located on the said distributingdevice (46) while at the said cleaning position, as well the conveyorbelt (11) as the injection machine (14) are far away other componentsand structures and are fully accessible.
 5. Plant, according to claim 1,characterized in that each of the said first and second hoppers (42, 44)of the accumulating and loading unit (40) have associated second weightdetecting means and second control means incorporated to the saidcomputer control centre for controlling the said distributing device(46) for distributing the meat product between the first and the secondhoppers (42, 44) depending on a weight sought for each lot of injectedmeat product to be loaded subsequently in the said rotating drum (22).6. Plant for treating and packaging meat product in a non-stop operationcomprising: a brine injection station (10) for injection brine to themeat product to be treated; a maceration station (20) for the injectedmeat product including: a rotating massaging drum (22) for the injectedmeat product provided with a loading/unloading mouth (23) and means fortilting the said drum (22) in order to unload it through the saidloading/unloading mouth (23); a plurality of quiescent tanks (24) forthe massaged meat product connected to drawing means for moving thetanks (24) forwards step-to-step along a closed path (26) around suchrotating drum (22); and a packaging station (30) for the treated meatproducts, wherein such stations are coupled to each other for a non-stopoperation, linked by a unit for accumulating and loading (40) theinjected meat product in the rotating drum (22), located between theoutlet of such injection station (10) and the inlet of the saidmaceration station (20), comprising: at least a first and a secondhoppers (42, 44); a distributing device (46) for distributing the meatproduct coming from the injection station (10) alternatively to the saidfirst and second hoppers (42, 44); and transferring means (42 a) forselectively transferring the load from the first and second hoppers (42,44) into the rotating drum (22) of the maceration station (20), areloading unit (50) located between the said maceration station (20) andthe said accumulating and loading unit (40) comprising means for newlytransferring the massaged-settled meat product coming from the saidquiescent tanks (24) to the said second hopper (44) to be reloaded inthe said rotating drum (22); and a unit for transferring (60) thetreated meat product to a feeding hopper (62) of the said packagingstation (30), located between a given point of the said path (26) of themaceration station (20) and the packaging station (30), including inaddition a unit for cleaning (70) the quiescent tanks (24) at a point ofthe path (26) after the unit for transferring (60) and at least acomputer control centre being provided for coordinating the steps ofsuch stations and units operation so that at any moment of a plantworking cycle at least one of such stations is operating, a time beingprovided for cleaning each station, unit or part thereof during the saidcycle, keeping the plant non-stop operation characterized in that itcomprises first loading and second massaging alternative automaticoperation tops (21, 28) for such loading/unloading mouth (23) of suchrotating drum (22), such tops (21, 28) having different characteristicsfor performing different functions depending on the steps in the workingcycle: The first loading top (21) connected to a hose (25) directing themeat product coming from the said transfer means to the accumulating andloading unit (40) and mounted on a first moving arm (27) driven toswitch over the said loading top (21) between an idle position,withdrawn from the said loading/unloading mouth (23) and a workingposition coupled to the loading/unloading mouth (23), when the drum (22)is stopped, to proceed to load by sucking due to a depression created bya vacuum pump within the drum (22) through a duct located at a blindaxial end of the drum (22), opposed to the loading/unloading mouth (23);and The second massaging top (28) is mounted on a support (95) fixed onthe free end of a second moving arm (29) driven to switch over the saidsecond top (28) between an idle position, withdrawn from the saidloading/unloading mouth (23), and a working position coupled to theloading/unloading mouth (23) either when the drum is stopped or rotatingduring a massaging sub-cycle, the said support (95) includes means toallow the massaging top (28) to rotate around a shaft (86) integral withit and to absorb small circular translations of the said shaft (86) whenrotating jointly with the drum (22), due to possible misalignmentsbetween the shaft (86) and an actual spin axis of the drum (22). 7.Plant, according to claim 6, characterized in that adjacent to an outletof the first and the second hoppers (42, 44) of the accumulating andloading unit (40) are located respective flow valves (42 a, 44 a),driven by respective fluid dynamic cylinders (47), the said flow valves(42 a, 44 a) are provided with departing respective hoses (49 a, 49 b)which are joined in a collector which offers a single common outletmouth (49) connected to the said hose (25), means having being providedincorporated in the said computer control centre to selectively drivethe said flow valves (42 a, 44 a) and controlling the said first movingarm (27) and vacuum pump to load the contents of either the first or thesecond hoppers (42, 44) in the rotating drum (22).
 8. Plant according toclaim 7 wherein a duct for conducting water and a hose for conductingdetergent, supported on the said first moving arm (27) are connected torespective inlets of water and detergent (84, 85) of the said firstloading top (21) for automatically cleaning the inside of the drum (22).9. Plant according to claim 7, characterized in that the said firstmoving arm (27) comprises a structure of stiff bars (90) which form anarcuate shape along which remains delimited and protected an internalspace through which is passing and supported a hose (25), such structureof stiff bars (90) is hinged by a first end (90 a) distal from the saidfirst loading top (21) to a supporting structure (45) of the said firstand second hoppers (42, 44), and linked by a medium area (90 b) with afluid dynamic cylinder rod (91) a head of which is linked to suchsupporting structure (45), the said fluid dynamic cylinder (91) drivessuch first arm (27) to carry out such switching over between the saidworking and idle positions of the first loading top (21).
 10. Plantaccording to claim 6, characterized in that the said shaft (86) integralwith the massaging top (28) outwardly protrudes from it and issubstantially aligned with the spin axis of the drum (22) when themassaging top (28) is in such working position, such shaft (86) beingsupported and guided by at least a bearing (87) housed in abearing-holder (88) mounted on elastic bearing means (89) built in thesaid support (95) of the second moving arm (29), so that when themassaging top (28) rotates jointly with the drum (22) the said shaft(86) can rotate and make the said small circular translations withrespect to the said second arm (28) against the strength of the saidelastic means (89).
 11. Plant according to claim 10, characterized inthat the said elastic means comprise a plurality of helical springs (89)star-shaped radially arranged in housings of the said support (95) ofthe said free end of the second arm (29), external ends of the helicalsprings (89) being supported on adjustable depth bottoms (96) of thesaid housings and their internal ends being supported against the saidbearing-holder (88), the strength of such springs (89) being adjustableby adjusting the depth of the related bottom (96) of the housing. 12.Plant, according to claim 10, characterized in that the said secondmoving arm (29) comprises at its ends distal from the massaging top (28)a hinge (29 a) with respect to a tiltable supporting structure (92) ofthe said rotating drum (22) and a fluid dynamic cylinder (94) has a rodthereof linked to a cranked handle (93) integral with the hinge pin (29a) and a head linked to the said tiltable structure (92) the fluiddynamic cylinder (94) of which drives such second arm (29) to carry outthe said switch over between the said working and idle positions of thesecond massaging top (21).
 13. Plant for treating and packaging meatproduct in a non-stop operation of the kind comprising: a brineinjection station (10) for injecting brine to the meat products to betreated; a maceration station (20) for the injected meat productincluding: a rotating massaging drum (22) for the injected meat product;a plurality of quiescent tanks (24) for the massaged meat productscoming from the said rotating drum (22); drawing means to move thequiescent tanks (24) forwards step-to-step along a closed path (26)around such rotating drum (22), with a stop under the loading/unloadingmouth (23) for receiving meat product from the said drum (22) and keepit settling during a predetermined time, the tanks (24), the tanksadapted to be unhooked off such drawing means at least in somepredetermined stop positions; and a packaging station (30) for thetreated meat products such stations are coupled to each other for anon-stop operation, linked by a unit for accumulating and loading (40)the injected meat product in the rotating drum (22), located between theoutlet of such injection station (10) and the inlet of the saidmaceration station (20), comprising: at least a first and a secondhoppers (42, 44); and transferring means for selectively transferringthe load of the first and second hoppers (42, 44) to the rotating drum(22) of the maceration station (20), a reloading unit (50) locatedbetween the said maceration station (20) and the said accumulating andloading unit (40) comprising means for newly transferring themassaged-settled meat product coming from the said quiescent tanks (24)to the said second hopper (44) to be reloaded in the said rotating drum(22); and a unit for transferring (60) the treated meat product to afeeding hopper (62) of the said packaging station (30), located betweena given point of the said path (26) of the maceration station (20) andthe packaging station (30), including in addition a unit for cleaning(70) the quiescent tanks (24) at a point of the path (26) after the unitfor transferring (60) at least a computer control centre being providedfor coordinating the steps of such stations and units operation so thatat any moment of a plant working cycle at least one of such stations isoperating, a time being provided for cleaning each station, unit or partthereof during the said cycle, keeping the plant non-stop operationcharacterized in that such quiescent tanks (24) are provided with wheels(100) and can rotate on a track (103) arranged around the said rotatingdrum (22), each quiescent tank (24) is provided in addition withfastening means for releasably fasten a related drawing truck (101)guided along a rail (102) fixed on the floor, such rail (102) definingsuch closed cycle path (26) along such track (103) all such drawingtrucks (101) being linked to each other by means of hinged bars (105)forming an endless flexible transmitting element along the said rail(102) driving, coupling and guiding means (106, 107, 108, 109) beingprovided for successively coupling each of such drawing trucks (101)when it is located in a predetermined position and moving it, drawingthe rest of the drawing trucks (101) together with all the quiescenttanks (24) one step until the following drawing truck (101) occupiessuch predetermined stop position and then disconnect such drawing truck(101) and newly coming backwards to the predetermined position. 14.Plant, according to claim 13, characterized in that the said rail (102)comprises a flat faced handrail fixed on the floor having a crosssectional bigger size upright and the drawing truck (101) comprises atleast supporting wheels (117) which rotates on the top face of the saidhandrail (102) and guiding wheels (118, 119), facing each other bypairs, with a wheel of each pair rotating on opposite sides of thehandrail (102), one of the wheels (119) of each pair being mounted on aeccentric shaft (120) to facilitate its mounting adjustment.
 15. Plant,according to claim 13, characterized in that the said driving, couplingand guiding means (106, 107, 108, 109) act on a length of the said path(26) in which the rail (102) defines a circumference arc (102 a) withthe beginning at the said predetermined position and comprise an arm(106), angularly moving, hinged at one end with respect to a verticalshaft (106 a) located at the centre of the said circumference arc (102a) and guided by the opposite end (106 b) with respect to a curved guide(107) parallel to the circumference arc (102 a), a first fluid dynamiccylinder (108), having a long run, with its head hinged at a fixed point(108 a) with respect to the floor and at the end of its rod linked tothe said opposite end (106 b) of the arm (106) and a second fluiddynamic cylinder (109), having a short run, fixed on the said oppositeend (106 b) of the arm (106), such second fluid dynamic cylinder (109)comprises, fixed at the end of its rod, a coupling element (110) whichcan be connected/disconnected in a complementary anchoring element (111)integral to each drawing truck (101) due to the said fluid dynamiccylinder rod (109) extending/retracting.
 16. Plant, according to claim15, characterized in that, at another point of the path (26) a lockingelement (116) is fixed to the end of the rod of another fluid dynamiccylinder (121) having a short run, which is in a fixed position and isdriven for coupling the said locking element (116) with the saidanchoring element (111) of a drawing truck (101) stopped in front of itin order to lock the assembly of quiescent tanks (24) during the periodsin which they are stopped.
 17. Plant, according to claim 13,characterized in that the said fastening means for releasably fasteninga quiescent tank (24) on a related drawing truck (101) comprises a pairof upright stubs (112) integral with outwardly protruding platforms(113) in each drawing truck (101), such stubs (112) are socketed inholes (114) located in plates (115) horizontally protruding from a sideof each quiescent tank (24) at a suitable height, means (55, 56, 59, 61)being provided for lifting the said quiescent tanks (24) sufficiently todisconnect the said holes (114) from the said stubs (112) and withdrawthe quiescent tanks (24) from the said path (26) in the saidpredetermined stop positions.
 18. Plant for treating and packaging meatproduct in a non-stop operation comprising: a brine injection station(10) for injecting brine to the meat product to be treated; a macerationstation (20) for the injected meat products including a rotatingmassaging drum (22) for the injected meat product; a plurality ofquiescent tanks (24) for the massaged meat product coming from suchrotating drum (22); drawing means to make such quiescent tanks (24) moveforwards step-to-step along a closed path (26) around such rotating drum(22), with a stop under the loading/unloading mouth (23) for receivingmeat product from the said drum (22) and keep it settling during apredetermined time, the tanks (24) adapted to be hooked off such drawingmeans at least in some predetermined stop positions; and a packagingstation (30) for the treated meat products, such stations are coupled toeach other for a non-stop operation, linked by a unit for accumulatingand loading (40) the injected meat product in the rotating drum (22),located between the outlet of such injection station (10) and the inletof the said maceration station (20), comprising at least a first and asecond hoppers (42, 44); and transferring means for selectivelytransferring the load of the first and second hoppers (42, 44) to therotating drum (22) of the maceration station (20), a reloading unit (50)located between the said maceration station (20) and the saidaccumulating and loading unit (40) comprising means for newlytransferring the massaged-settled meat product coming from the saidquiescent tanks (24) to the said second hopper (44) to be reloaded inthe said rotating drum (22); and a unit for transferring (60) thetreated meat product to a feeding hopper (62) of the said packagingstation (30), located between a given point of the said path (26) of themaceration station (20) and the packaging station (30), including inaddition a unit for cleaning (70) the quiescent tanks (24) at a point ofthe path (26) after the transfer unit (60) and where the saidaccumulating and loading (40) and transferring (60) units includelifting-tippling apparatuses (52,64) provided with means for taking oneof the quiescent tanks (24), filled, from a related stop position fromthe path (26), lifting and tippling it to transfer its contents to thesaid second hopper (44) of the accumulating and loading unit (40) or tothe said hopper (62) of the transfer unit (60), respectively, and bringit back, empty, to the related stop position of the path (26), at leastone computer control centre being arranged for coordinating theoperation steps of the said stations and units so that at any moment ofa working cycle of the plant at least one of the stations is operating,a time being provided for cleaning each station, unit or part thereofduring the said cycle, keeping the non-stop operation of the plant,characterized in that, each of the said lifting-tippling apparatuses(52,64) comprises: a structure (51), having a suitable height, open byone of its side faces leaning on the path (26), such structure (51)incorporating an unloading ramp (53) at the top end of another of itsside faces; means (55,56,59,61) for lifting one of such quiescent tanks(24) sufficiently to disconnect holes (114) located in plates (115)horizontally protruding from a side of the quiescent tank (24) fromupright stubs (112) integral with platforms (113) associated to acorresponding drawing truck (101) of the quiescent tanks along the path(26) and transfer such quiescent tank (24) hooked off the path (26) tothe inside of the structure bottom (51); and means for fastening anduprightly lifting the quiescent tank (24) inside the said structure (51)and tippling it on the said unloading ramp (53) at the top end of thestructure (51).
 19. Plant, according to claim 18, characterized in thatsuch means for lifting, disconnecting and transferring such quiescenttanks (24) from the path (26) to the inside of the structure bottom (51)comprise: rails (54) horizontally extending from inside the structurebottom (51) through the said open side face until crossing the saidtrack (103) of the path (26) such rails (54) have interruptions at thepassing areas for the said wheels (100) of the quiescent tanks (24); adisplacing truck (55) driven by a fluid dynamic cylinder (56) having along run to horizontally move on the said rails (54) between a firstposition to a stop position of the quiescent tanks (24) on the path (26)and a second position inside the structure (51), such displacing truck(55) provided with at least three wheels (58) at each side arranged forrolling on the rails (54) so that when one of the said wheels (58) islocated on one of such interruptions of the rails (54) at least twoother wheels (58) are supported on the said rails (54); an uprightlymoving platform (59) mounted on the said displacing truck (55) andconnected to the ends of the rods of fluid dynamic cylinders (61)uprightly fastened on the displacing truck (55) and driven for liftingthe said moving platform (59) together with a quiescent tank (24)located on it, up to the said sufficient height, the said means (55, 56,59, 61) being also capable of the opposite operation, consisting of atransferring a quiescent tank (24) emptied, at a slightly liftedposition, from the fastening means inside the structure (51) bottom tothe path (26), and going down the quiescent tank (24) for hooking it tothe related drawing truck (101).
 20. Plant, according to claim 18,characterized in that the said fastening and uprightly lifting andtippling means of the quiescent tank (24) comprise: a lifting truck (63)located inside the said structure (51) and uprightly guided along guides(68) fixed on the said side face of the structure (51) ending in thesaid unloading ramp (53), the said lifting truck (63) adapted for goingup and down on the said guides (68) driven by a chain mechanism (71) anda fluid dynamic cylinder (73); a tippler (65) for a quiescent tank (24),such tippler being linked to a top part of the said lifting truck (63)by means of a substantially horizontal hinge (66) and linked by a pointrelatively far away from the said hinge (66) to the end of the fluiddynamic cylinder rod (67) the head of which is linked to a lower part ofthe lifting truck (63), when driving the said fluid dynamic cylinder(67) this causes that the quiescent tank (24) is tippled fastened on thesaid tippler (65) around the hinge (66) to empty its contents on theunloading ramp (53).
 21. Plant, according to claim 20, characterized inthat the said tippler (65) comprises a top part (72) having guideshorizontally arranged and adapted for receiving frames (69) provided atthe top part of the quiescent tanks (24) when a quiescent tank (24) isintroduced inside the structure (51) by the said displacing truck (55)and a side supporting wall (74) which is extending downwards from thesaid top part (72) and which cooperates with such guides (57) forsupporting the quiescent tank (24) when it is tippled about the hinge(66).
 22. Plant, according to claim 18, characterized in that the saidside face of the structure (51) ended by the said unloading ramp (53)and along which the guides (68) are fixed is facing the said open faceof the structure (51) and perpendicular to the said rails (54), so thatthe said hinge (66) with respect to which the quiescent tanks (24) aretippled is substantially tangent to the path (26) and is useful for theunit (60) transferring to the feeding hopper (62) in the cases that theavailability of space allows to place such hopper (62) far away the path(26).
 23. Plant, according to claim 19, characterized in that the saidface of the structure (51) ending by the said unloading ramp (53) andalong which the guides (68) are fixed is a face contiguous to the saidopen face of the structure (51) and parallel to the said rails (54), sothat such hinge (66) with respect to which tippling the quiescent tanks(24) is carried out is substantially perpendicular to the path (26) andis useful for the reloading unit (50), because of the relative positionsof the second hopper (44) and rotating drum (22) as required, or fromthe transferring unit (60) to the feeding hopper (62) in the cases thata scarce availability of space requires that the said hopper (62) isplaced very close to the path (26).
 24. Plant, according to claim 22,characterized that the said hopper (62) of the transferring unit (60)comprises a single outlet (31) connected to a distributing device fromwhich are starting a plurality of hoses (33) connected to an equalplurality of packaging machines (32, 34), which have sucking means forsucking the treated meat product from the said hopper (62) according toan inherent rating.
 25. Plant according to claim 18, characterized inthat the said cleaning unit comprises an automatic cleaning cabinet (77)arranged adjacent to a track (103) of the path (26) through which aremoving the quiescent tanks (24) and a pivoting arm (76) hinged to thebottom of the said cabinet (77) such arm (76) having a lifting end witha concealable bottom frame on a portion of the said track (103) and aside supporting wall close to the said bottom frame, the said pivotingarm 76 being capable to rotate with respect to its hinge driven by afluid dynamic cylinder for taking a quiescent tank (24) stopped on thesaid bottom frame and lift it unhooking it from its related drawingtruck (101), on a circular path until introducing it laying on the saidside supporting wall inside the automatic cleaning cabinet (77) forcleaning and subsequent returning of the cleaned quiescent tank to thepath (26) and for newly hooking it to the drawing truck (101).